


Search for the Cure

by NocturnLily



Category: Forgotten Realms, Neverwinter (Video Game), Neverwinter Nights
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-10 21:47:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15958178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NocturnLily/pseuds/NocturnLily
Summary: With a plague taxing the Jewel of the North from the inside out, and no feasible cure from even the best healers in the city, a desperate call for adventurers is put forth. Riches and glory await.





	1. Graduation

**Author's Note:**

> This is a revamp of an original work I originally posted on FFN, and wanted to bring it over here. Please keep in mind that the rating applies to future chapters! Yes, it follows the vanilla campaign of the first game and subsequent expansions.
> 
> A slow open, to be sure, but I promise more life in these installments as things move forward!

Daylight filtered through the stained glass in the thin windows of the student barracks, dull and contaminated with errant particles of dust. The stone walls were thick, but not enough to drown out the perpetual suffering that wailed just outside the Academy's gates. A young woman, barely out of her twenty-second summer, rubbed the sleep from her eyes before shoving the covers down with her feet. She rolled ungracefully out and up, and shuffled to one of the curtained-off washbasins to prepare herself for the day. Once finished, she made a quick sweep about the rest of the beds and found them empty; she scowled.

  
"Damn it all," she mumbled gruffly, still not quite awake as she strapped her leathers on.

  
A fortnight was hardly enough time to whip hero-hopefulls into proper form, but time was not on Neverwinter's side. Still, being the last to wake for the final class before a graduation ceremony--glorified pomp and circumstance and all useless, as far as she was concerned -- was no way to greet an occasion that would finally see her free of the place. Her armour squeaked lightly as she walked, and she groaned to herself -- the notion to oil up the leather the night previous went disregarded in favour of banter with a few of her classmates; she would pay for it later, surely.

  
Having the training rooms so close to the barracks themselves was useful, perhaps, but not at all favoured; it only took a few steps before the sound of clashing and clanging echoed and bounced off the walls. Training dummies, lined in rows and varied between bull's-eyes and humanoid mock-ups, were taken up by warrior trainees. Drill sergeants screamed at them all, marching up and down and barking corrections to stance and parry techniques--none of which interested her. Sole against stone shuffled as she turned heel to leave, thoroughly ignoring the shouts of an instructor who managed to catch sight of her before she managed to escape.

  
_Just keep walking_ , she thought to herself, picking up the pace. _Damn loudmouth can't interrupt an ongoing class, once I get there._

  
Those shouts got louder, and it was with a sinking realization that her pursuer either had longer legs than she, or was incredibly set on dragging her to menial grunt training. Green eyes locked onto the furthest door on the left, and she couldn't have been happier to see it open on its own. From it, a halfling woman stepped out and set her hands upon slim hips. "Eva! 'Bout bloody time you showed!" she scolded. "Ye've missed a quarter of the class already, get y'r arse in here!"

  
She was all too happy to oblige -- a half hour more, and she would be that much closer to Aribeth's blessing.

  
If only it were that simple.


	2. Under Attack

Striding through the door to the graduation hall like she damn well owned the place, Eva tugged lightly at the tunic just under her leathers; that squeaking was becoming a nuisance, and she made a mental note of remedying it the moment all was over and done with.

Her position offered a clear line of sight to the front of the room to a paladin of striking beauty -- the Lady herself, Aribeth de Tylmerande, mingled among instructors and students alike. The light from the sconces and candelabra lit up her reflective plate armour -- warriors never seemed to be seen without, as was apparent by several other warrior-esque attendees -- and the easy smile she wore dimpled just beneath those high, elven cheekbones. Among those that shifted from one gathering to the next, one struck her as very familiar.

Shade -- as with many in questionable professions and being no stranger to them herself, she very much doubted this was his actual name -- moved easily between crowds, but the number of times she caught deep brown eyes connecting with hers did not go unnoticed. The dark-skinned elf was making no effort to hide that he was, methodically, making his way in her general direction. That damnable, perpetual smirk of his inspired one of Eva's own and, in a show of feigned disinterest, remained about the rear of the room -- he would either have to navigate the full social gauntlet in its entirety, or outright bypass them if his intent was, in fact, to make it to her before official business went underway.

The vaulted ceiling echoed the murmurs below; students of all disciplines milled about in the spare antechamber decorated with passable tapestries and rugs. This 'graduation hall' was hurriedly put together, no doubt, but the energy of the students was undiminished as they waited for the ceremony to get underway. It was a simple formality -- get the blessing of a vaunted paladin, eat yourself stupid and be thrown into the world the day after as newly-minted heroes venturing in the name of Neverwinter and her people.

Eva eyed the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with a few acquaintances she had gotten to know; it was droll, and she wanted nothing more than to will time to move just a bit faster. She did, however, take the time to size up a few others in the room -- some brandished weaponry or special tokens in the name of celebration, and the itch in her fingers was tempting enough to answer once everyone was liquored and fattened.

The redhead had made unwitting eye contact as she was lost in thought and quickly feigned the malicious half-grin she sported into a jovial one, sauntering over to introduce herself. A quick glance in her peripheral saw Shade tutting playfully, and Eva knew she deserved it -- her expression had given her away, however briefly. The rogue locked eyes with him, challenging him, and was answered; Shade's lips curled up daringly before turning his attention elsewhere. A light voice drifted over the room, interrupting any further conversation; the smug expression on Shade's face fell before turning his attention to the speaker in question.

"Greetings to you all," the paladin announced with a nod. "I am Lady Aribeth, and on behalf of Lord Nasher and the City of Neverwinter I wish to congratulate you on the completion of your training." Collective applause, and hoots of jubilation. "We face challenging times, but I believe what you have learned here in the Academy will serve you well -- may the blessings of Tyr be upon you."

Uproarious cheering and many clapping of shoulders followed the brief speech. A few broad shoulders and heavy pauldrons very nearly knocked Eva off balance, and so she made her way, subconsciously, closer to the back of the room and towards the elven warrior. A gentle, inviting smile overtook the paladin at Eva's approach, and the woman found herself beckoned to Aribeth's side.

"Eva, I presume?" she asked, and was answered with a nod and quiet 'yes ma'am'. "I have been looking forward to meeting you - your instructors speak very highly of your performance, and we could use a few more good people."

A gauntleted hand was offered, and met with a leather-bound one. There was something in her radiance that made Eva relaxed and...happy? It was unsettling, but she shook it off and offered a pleasant smile in return. "You honour me, Lady Aribeth - I am no more adept than my colleagues, here." Humility, she had heard, went over well with the honourable sort; she wasn't disappointed, as the paladin offered a small chuckle. Eva could have sworn she heard stifled guffawing within the vicinity, and it took everything she had not to look for the culprit; he could wait.

"Your modesty is refreshing, especially so for one in your trade." Aribeth looked over the roguish woman with appraisal. "Would you be willing to meet with me after the festivities? We could arrange--"

Something overtook the paladin and her face, already pale, became that of a sheet; her eyes widened and darted around in horror, a hand immediately on the blade hanging from her hip. She lowered herself defensively -- this drew the attention of more than a few of the other warrior-graduates in the room and they followed suit, confusion and caution mixing on their faces.

"Do you feel that...?" Aribeth hissed. Eva couldn't deny a sudden smothering of the air around them, and slender hands went to her daggers.

No sooner did the paladin shout, "WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" four simultaneous bursts of arcane light exploded in each corner of the room. Masked assailants, all of them shrouded in face-covers and dark clothes, wasted no time throwing magic errantly into the gathered students. Shrieks and roars filled the room as the situation devolved to chaos; Aribeth threw herself into battle, desperate to defend her students. Eva crouched and padded her way to the right, round one of the casters, and thrust a jagged blade into his back. She caught him mid-incantation, and his fingertips sputtered an eldritch blue before flickering out altogether. A mean-looking club came down from the front immediately after, crushing the offending mage's ribcage, and he crumpled to the floor.

Warrior, spellcaster and everyone in between took to arms, but the element of surprise proved too effective; precious few were able to withstand the deluge of magic missiles and other offenses, and many fellow senior classmen lay scrambled and bloodied across stone and textile. Eva was one of those fortunate few, though not unscathed; she drew her arm across her mouth and nose, doing her best not to retch as the smell of burning flesh overwhelmed the room.

The rogue looked to the door and found Aribeth taking account of the damage, her head on a swivel as her shoulders drooped, deflated. Her blade hung loosely, briefly, in her hand before she took a rag hidden on her waist to clean the blood away. It was discarded bitterly, and Aribeth sheathed her now-smeared sword. The paladin turned, wiping a spatter of red from her scowling face and motioning for Eva to come closer. Truth be told, she didn't want to come any closer - with the smiling, pleasant visage gone, Eva saw the anger and pain welling behind amber eyes.

There was something else, though, that made her pause; a rage, struggling to be contained.

"Eva, please -- I must speak with you."


	3. Siege on the Academy

Beyond the thick wooden door of the graduation chamber, clashing of metal rang through the senior barracks and training rooms. Eva furrowed her brow as she cleaned her blade of goblin lackeys summoned by a fleeing would-be attacker, and listened a moment; it sounded like Aribeth had the right of it -- the entire academy was under siege.

...

_"This is no ordinary attack," the paladin warned, amber eyes flashing. "Surely you've heard the rumours surrounding the efforts of finding a cure--"_

_"And of the Waterdhavian creatures, yes. But why keep them in the academy? Surely they would have been better off elsewhere."_

_"I thought they would be safe, here." Aribeth shook her head. "Regardless, what's happened is done; I need you to check on them for me--"_

...

Eva took the key she was given and slid it into the lock of the massive door in the hall. It clicked, and she pushed through down another hall and into a storage room. Another figure, garbed similar to the attackers she'd seen thus far, loitered and was searching through supply crates. She could only assume that idle greed made him deaf to the door opening behind him, and took her chance -- sliding a jagged-toothed dagger from her belt, she sprinted forward and jabbed upward into the right side of the pilferer's rib cage. This drew as much a surprised as pained howl from her lone target, and he scrambled away.

The rogue could only assume this was another lowly caster -- very few idiots took on a small fortress with only cloth for armament, with no additional foot soldiers to make up for lacking defense, and still think themselves capable. This was soon proven correct; a word of power sputtered from behind the crawling man's face cover and four arcane circles surrounded him on the ground. Eva managed to sink her blade into the back of the caster's thigh before he wheezed another spell, his physical form evaporating away to some other location.

...

_"Wait, you're not coming with me?" Eva asked, incredulous._

_"I cannot; my presence would make it difficult, if not impossible, to protect the creatures. You saw what happened - the attackers concentrated on this room, so it's likely their attack was centered on me." Aribeth frowned. "Even now, someone could be watching us through magical means."_

_A large, bronze key was pushed into the rogue's palm._

_"Take this, go down the hall and into the east wing -- follow that, and you will eventually reach the creatures."_

...

More goblins lay slaughtered on stone and packing hay, but Eva no sooner turned from her handiwork that her blade was up again. She stopped short of her strike, cursing loud and hard in the face of a familiar, cheshire grin.

"Good to see you, too, my dear," Shade cooed, his grin widening.

"By the Nine, you insufferable--!"

In spite of her anger and surprise at being caught off-guard, Eva was equally glad to see he had made it out alive. The conflict between these feelings choked any further words, ending up as nothing more than frustrated growling as her arm dropped to her side. The blade was not housed, however, as she was still contemplating how much he deserved to eat the metal. Shade saw as much and pantomimed his surrender with raised hands.

"Is that really any way to greet a friend?" he asked, chuckling. In spite of the blade that was very quickly brought to the tip of his nose, Shade couldn't quiet the deeper-bellied laugh at the scrunched frown on the woman's face. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"Where were you?" Eva demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't see you when the mages attacked the graduation hall." It was more blunt than she had intended. Shade's face dropped from the easy, bantering smile to one of more neutral disdain. "How accusatory," he said flatly, crossing his arms. "I would think you better than that, or at least more clever." Eva was locked into silence again, this time in bafflement. "That's not what I m--"

"Then what did you mean?"

"You were on your feet one moment, gone the next and--"

She stopped, watching Shade's expression shift from surprise to curious bemusement. "And? Were you--" His eyes widened, and scrunched again in malicious glee. "Were you worried about me? Oh Eva, you touch my heart, truly!" The elf brought a hand to his chest, fingers splayed over his heart as he bent lightly forward. Eva rolled her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself, I was simply concerned we had lost a--" She gave him an obvious once-over, "-- **passable** sneak thief. Too many become easy targets from inflated heads."

She shook off her blade and sheathed it hastily, rounding Shade and making her way to the other side of the store room - they'd wasted enough time talking, and time was something not on anyone's side at the moment. "I have something important to do, so if you're here you might as well come with me."

"Mm, how interesting. I would love to find out what this 'something important' is." There were no audible footfalls, but Eva had to assume the dark-skinned elf was, in fact, following her.

She reached the second door in the room and made for the handle, but an arm snaked around her before she could secure a grip; Shade opened it for her with a coy grin.

"Please, allow me."

Eva fought the grin that wanted so badly to answer his, thanked the other rogue for his 'courteous' gesture and continued through the hall to what looked to be a study. Inside, a man had more or less barricaded himself behind an upturned desk with mace and shield ready. He was jumpy, and looked these two newcomers over with surprise and suspicion. He and Eva recognized each other simultaneously; he, with relief -- her, with thinly-veiled disdain.

"Eva! Oh, I'm glad to see you!"

"Likewise, Pavel - good to see you got out alive before the worst of this hit."

That was only partly true - of the senior classmen, Pavel was the worst-off in spite of admittedly hard work -- she honestly thought natural selection would have taken over. Still she offered a relieved smile, but it didn't last very long when he did not reciprocate.

"Pavel...what's wrong?"

"I..." His entire demeanor changed, and his shoulders slumped. "My brother, he...didn't make it."

Eva turned slightly to look to Shade, who had an equally dour expression on his face as he crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry to hear that, truly..." When she couldn't come up with anything more to say, Eva made her way around the desk and to the would-be warrior, gently laying a hand on his pauldron. "Is there anything--"

"Eva, please," Pavel turned with desperation in his eyes. "Let me come with you! It'll be easier to survive in numbers--"

"I, ah...I don't know if--"

"I just want to get out of here; come on...please. It sounds bad out there, and I don't know if I'd be able to take on that many on my own."

She must have had a look of befuddled surprise on her face because, as she looked to Shade to gauge his reaction, the other rogue was watching with incredible amusement. Eva, now wholly unable to refuse for sake of image alone, looked back to Pavel.

"Alright, gather your things. We're leaving."


	4. Getting Out of Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things finally kick off fresh. As you may have already noticed, I've kept one of the side characters alive because there was SO MUCH potential in him as a potentially future NPC. I was upset. Anyway, from here on in everything is new and minty fresh -- my original publish only went up to the previous chapter. I hope y'all are enjoying the ride!
> 
> PS. - poor Pavel. I know I pick on him horribly.  
> PPS. - there was an opportunity and I took it. B)c

For all her mental begrudging, Eva was almost thankful for letting Pavel tag along. Almost. He was decent with a flail, and made for a good bodily shield -- if he weren't on such an immediate verge of becoming weepy any time the trio hit a quiet spell deeper in the academy's halls, she might consider not ending his misery before they made it out.

It seemed Eva had been wrong in her assumption that their attackers hadn't brought any footsoldiers along -- the halls leading to the eastern wing were crawling with all manner of goblins and skeletons. By themselves, they were little more than a nuisance. But in a concentration this great? It became a target-rich slog. The little gremlins squealed and grunted in their gutteral language, and animated bones rattled and swung errantly, but that did nothing to stop the bloody swath cut through their ranks.

Through the many rooms, the three of them found valuables left abandoned in desks and storage trunks. Rather, the stickiest fingers orchestrated most of these findings. Pavel tried in vain to protest pilfering through the belongings of academy possessions, but was quickly silenced with a snort.

"If these were truly something someone wanted to keep," Eva retorted, flicking a small, cut gem into the air before catching and pocketing it. "They would have taken it when they fled."

The rogue met disapproving eyes with an uncaring shrug.

"I very much doubt anyone will be coming back for these. I doubt they'll be coming back at all, in fact."

"Eva!"

"She's right, you know," Shade hummed, wagging a finger without even glancing at the fighter. He was currently elbows-deep in a chest, tossing aside garments to dig at whatever valuables might be hidden below. "You can't just pass up an opportunity to be... _curious_."

"No one ever bolstered their own fortune by sitting on their hands, Pavel. It's basic survival -- one man's loss is another woman's gain."

"Oh my dear Eva, do tell us more," Shade tutted, coming out of the footlocker with two rings and pocketing a scroll. "That sounds incredibly specific."

They shared a hearty titter together, and Pavel was unable to hide the disgust pulling his lips horribly downward. And yet, he maintained his silence as the trio pushed onward. Pitiful, truly. For all his moral hangups, he was at least willing to keep up with the two silently padding behind him. Eva could respect the bid to survive in numbers. They were nearing the receiving wing of the eastern hall, and there was no mistaking an odd hum in the rooms beyond. Shade reached out to the other two, gripping their shoulders hurriedly to grab their attention -- all of them stopped, and Eva looked sidelong to the other rogue.

"What do your elf ears hear?"

Ignoring the quip, Shade silently bid Eva peer around the corner to have a look for herself. It came as almost no surprise the source of the strange hum -- a spellcaster lay in wait in the next chamber, surrounded by animated bones and goblins alike. She ducked back, signaling for them both to follow her round the adjacent hall. If they could get the jump on this lone henchman, there was a chance they could avoid serious injury. Unfortunately for those with experienced, silent feet, Pavel was as stealthy as a troll in an antiques shop. Shade motioned for the would-be warrior to stop, before he gave them all away, allowing Eva to get into position. From here, the roguish woman was able to get a better look at their target, if only slightly. Nondescript robe, no obvious weapons; had she not the wisdom of sizing up marks from her younger days, Eva may have simply charged the unassuming figure. But she knew better.

A knife slid from the side of her boot -- the blade curved as a snake might, and the canal that ran down the center was dry. Even unprepped her favoured dagger still packed a deadly wallop, and she lunged forward right as the robed adversary turned his back. The edge bit, finding purchase as it tore through the thin fabric and into flesh beneath. He cried out horribly, unable to wrench away from the pain, as her allies jumped from hiding. All at once, the other lackeys fell upon the triage; arms, legs and voices mingled chaotically, until they all fell silent save for those in the name of Neverwinter. Without hesitation, the mage was stripped of all valuables before they once again pushed forward.

_Finally_ , their destination. The stables left unused had been stacked full of packing and feed hay, and the support beams had begun to groan against the fight between them. A small, nasty looking horde of goblins -- indeed, far tougher than anything encountered within the academy walls -- offered nothing but grief for what Eva could only surmise as at least two of the creatures. One of which she recognized immediately as a forest nymph, but the other wore scales as skin. She stood almost protectively to the side of the frightened woodland creature, hissing as she and the nymph fled past a pair of clerics. The elven one of the two tried to avert them, but the goblins would have none of it. The older, human cleric snarled furiously, spitting a prayer just as he drew his weapon.

Before Eva or Shade had time to respond, Pavel was already past them and throwing himself into the fray. Every recoil of his mace had red flecks and bits of skin caught in the back swing, and Eva was content with sitting back and marveling at this newfound vigour. Between the three of the five, they made quick work of the final, menial obstacle of their end goal. Unfortunately, they were now somewhere in the city, running scared.

The Academy students convened with both clerics, finding it an agreeable arrangement to meet at a church of Tyr in the heart of Neverwinter. Most of them did, anyhow -- Pavel excused himself from future meetings, finding himself more suited to the farm life he'd left than, as he put it, 'this adventuring nonsense'. Inwardly, Eva was glad to finally be rid of him and was, perhaps, a bit too cheery when wishing him well and away. Shade rolled his eyes between the two, and wasted no time bidding his own farewells.

"Wait, wait!" Eva called after him, the soles of boots slapping against the cobbles. "You're at least going to see what's to be done about the city, aren't you?"

"Why should I?" The other rogue offered a roll of his shoulders, completely unbothered by the prospect. "I came here to receive my 'blessing' from that paladin, and I've gotten it. There's nothing left for me here."

"You're forgetting the quarantine," she quipped dryly. "You don't have a choice, you may as well cast your hat in the ring. Besides, surely you would have no trouble watching my back for me, mm?"

Now that  _did_ get Shade's attention -- just as Eva thought it might! -- and they both shared a grin.

"You're quite the persuasive woman, Eva. Fine, I'll see you in a week hence."


End file.
